


Tick T0ck

by swiftMartyrdom (gatonip)



Category: Homestuck
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-11
Updated: 2011-07-11
Packaged: 2017-10-21 07:09:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/222297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gatonip/pseuds/swiftMartyrdom
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tick t0ck.<br/>Tick t0ck.<br/>Tick t0ck.<br/>WHERE THE FUCK IS THAT TICKING COMING FROM?!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tick T0ck

**Author's Note:**

> As usual, the initial idea I had in mind kinda disintegrated as I wrote. Also as usual, I like this outcome better.  
> They are terribly OOC, just to warn you.  
> SONG INSPIRATION(S): Lion Man - Mumford and Sons, Sburban Jungle

Tick t0ck.

Tick t0ck.

Tick t0ck.

WHERE THE FUCK IS THAT TICKING COMING FROM?!

You are Karkat Vantas and you’re about to lose your mind. Figuratively of course, unless Jack Noir decides to decapitate you. Then in that case, yes, you would literally be losing your mind.

Tick t0ck.

Tick t0ck.

You swear you’re going to kill somebody if that noise doesn’t stop.

Considering most of your friends are already dead, you don’t have many options to work with. Your selection of 11 different dipshits available for your killing pleasure has been downgraded to 3 dipshits, and frankly these 3 dipshits are the dipshits you would actually miss if you killed them in a fit of rage.

Other than your intense urge to commit murder, you’re also trying to explain the plan involving The Tumor (you don’t feel like making that text green so fuck off) to the king of the derps and not losing what little patience you have left. You also need to talk to the king of the derps’ twin again so she can re-explain the plan to YOU, since frankly you don’t completely understand it either.

There’s purple-colored blood on your face and hands, blue-colored blood in a puddle beneath where you sit, and spots of other multicolored blood scattered around you – jade green, mustardy yellow, teal, and just the faintest hint of red.

To top it off, you’re tired as fuck.

Tick t0ck.

Tick t0ck.

Tick t0ck.

No.

That incisive tick-t0cking is the cherry that tops this wretched frozen dairy treat you call a life.

You look around and see your fellow trolls, the last of your species. The lot of you are a sad-looking bunch. One undead rainbow drinker who’s tending to a corpse and occasionally licks at the blue blood splattered on her hands. One blind sociopath who hasn’t said a word since you found her here, which is a bad sign considering she’s always running her mouth. One creepily chilled out ass that can’t see jack shit or navigate in any way whatsoever, and rubs his mouth in obvious discomfort (not that you know why or are the cause of it, stairs what stairs haha you’re hilarious). Two corpses that while alive caused other corpses to show up; one lying in the before mentioned rainbow drinker’s lap, the other lying somewhere in the distance. And one you.

If Jack swooped down right now to slaughter you all, you would last 5, maybe 10 seconds, assuming someone noticed his approach. If not, you had maybe 3 seconds at best.

The odds are certainly not in your favor. Sure, Kanaya is technically undead and unless Jack knows precisely how to kill a rainbow drinker she’s safe. And Terezi might be crazy but she knows how to defend herself. Sollux must have SOME of his powers left, or else the others could just block for him. The corpses could be used as decoys and shields. And you’re not a completely helpless wriggler; you know your way around a sickle.

But all that isn’t going to help you. Jack has overpowered all of you at least once (twice to some of the unlucky bastards now floating around in Dream Bubbles) and there’s no stopping him at the present moment.

So Harley’s plan is the only way. And it needs to happen, fast.

Until your part in it comes, you’re stuck here just praying to gog that you’ll live to see the end of this game. You wonder how the others are fairing mentally.

Tick t0ck.

Tick t0ck.

And if they can hear THAT FUCKING TICKING as well.

In truth, you’re kinda sort of maybe really worried about them. Understandably so; they are, after all, your top choices to fill your quadrants, though of course you won’t admit that. But deep down you know it’s true. Kanaya is – and always has been – there for you and has put up with just so much of your never-ending complaining about everything and everyone; she’s the perfect moirail, or auspistice if you need one. Sollux has been your bro for all of forever, and if you guys could just stop arguing then maybe he’d be up for moirailegiance with you; if not, perhaps your feelings could wax a bit blacker...

As for Terezi, there’s no denying that-

Speak of the psycho blind she-devil, she’s right next to you. You spaced out so much that you didn’t see her sit down by you. You can’t really blame her for deciding to choose you over the others; Sollux would likely just ask over and over for her to teach him how to ‘see’, and Kanaya looks pretty creepy combing Vriska’s hair like that. Where’d she get a comb anyways?

Okay stop spacing out. That’s why she startled you in the first place, remember?

You look at her and try to read through her blank expression, though hell if you can read blank expressions on anyone. She’s staring at the screen with burnt-out eyes hidden behind red shades, and unless she leans forwards and licks the screen, she has no clue what you’re doing. So you expect her to be disgusting and do so, or else be civilized and just ask.

She’s chosen the civilized option for once.

“WH4CH4 UP TO?”

“TRYING TO GET OUR ASSES OFF THIS ASTEROID IN ONE PIECE.”

She sniffs a little.

“JOHN?” she guesses.

“YEAH. HE ISN’T TAKING THE PLAN WELL.”

“NOT SURPR1S1NG. H3 KNOWS ON3 OF TH3M H4S TO D13 FOR TH3 R3ST OF US TO M4K3 1T. H4S H3 OFF3R3D H1MS3LF UP Y3T?”

“NOT YET BUT I KNOW HE...THERE HE JUST DID.”

“H3H, CL4SS1C JOHN.”

There’s utter silence on the roof, save for you typing, Kanaya humming softly, and the ticking.

Tick t0ck.

Tick t0ck.

You’re all a good distance from each other; you’ve subconsciously arranged yourselves in a square, but it’s spread out. Not that you didn’t want to be near each other. You’re just all used to being on your own. Now that Terezi is next to you, it’s become a triangle.

Terezi’s voice is a low whisper when she talks next.

“...so...do you th1nk th1s pl4n 1s go1ng to work?”

You lower your own, though you aren’t completely sure why.

“Honestly? ...I have no fucking clue. For all I know, we might end up dying more brutally this way than if we just sat here and waited for Jack.”

“Th4ts wh4t 1 w4s th1nk1ng. But 1 th1nk 31th3r w4y, w3 m1ght not 4ll m4k3 1t out of h3r3.”

“Why do you-“

“Sollux 1s d34d. Th3r3s no d3ny1ng 1t. H3s h3lpl3ss 4nd th3r3s d3f1n1t3ly 1snt 3nough t1m3 for m3 to t34ch h1m 4nything.”

Now you see why she lowered her voice. Sollux’s hearing isn’t that sharp yet to overhear them at this level, and Kanaya’s too far off in wonderland to comprehend what you’re saying. No need to worry them more than they already are.

“4nd you c4n s33 th3 look on K4n4y4s f4c3 b3tt3r th4n 1 c4n sm3ll 1t. Sh3s not l34v1ng Vr1sk4 for 4nyth1ng. Sh3 tr13s to t4k3 h3r w1th us 4nd sh3ll just w31gh h3r down.”

That was one thing you hadn’t thought of, and you fight the urge to face palm at Kanaya’s flushcrush stupidity.

“We’re as good as dead.”

“4s 4 whol3 w3 4r3. You 4nd 1, w3 m1ght g3t lucky.”

“If you think I’d leave them behind and save my own ass-“

“Noon3 s41d you would. 4nd n31th3r would 1. But 1f w3 los3 th3m...b3tt3r to g3t out 4nd mourn l4t3r th4n not l1v3 to s33 l4t3r...”

Terezi’s just on the ball today with depressing realizations, and as an optimist that’s definitely out of character for her. Something doesn’t feel right, and you can’t put your finger on it.

“...um are you okay?”

She doesn’t answer, but hangs her head. Her shades slide down her nose and you see her eyes shut tight. Eventually she shakes her head no.

“You going to tell me or what?”

“Don’t worry 4bout 1t. Youv3 got your own probl3ms to d34l w1th, 1 wont burd3n you w1th my own.”

“Oh don’t start that bullshit; you’ve never given a fuck about burdening me before. Hell you go out of your way on a regular basis to burden me.”

No response.

“...okay sorry, you’re not a burden I didn’t mean that. Seriously what’s wrong?”

“W3ll s331ng 4s 1 just k1ll3d my form3r b3st fr13nd 1n ord3r to s4v3 my own l1f3, 1m not do1ng so gr34t.”

“Welcome to the club, sister.”

More silence save for the typing, the humming, and the ticking.

Tick t0ck.

Tick t0ck.

Tick t0ck.

You rub at your eyes and realize once again how tired you really are.

“Troll Jesus I need a nap...”

“W3lcom3 to my club, h3h3.”

“No way, I was in this club way before any of you.”

“You w3r3 th3 l4st on3 to sl33p, r3m3mb3r? Th3 r3st of us h4v3nt sl3pt s1nc3 th3n.”

“Not Sollux.”

“Huh?”

“Uh, never mind.”

“...1 dont w4nn4 d13.”

“No shit, neither do I. None of us wanted to die.”

You’ve been staring at the screen for a while, and when you pry your eyes away to look at her, you swear you can see some teal on her face that normally isn’t there.

“Shit, are...are you crying?”

“No!”

She wipes at her eyes fiercely. Yep those are definitely teal tears she’s wiping away.

“Yeah I think you are.”

“Dont b3 r1d1culous, why would 1 do th4t K4rkl3s, th4ts just stup1d!” She practically spits your nickname in her denial.

“You know you don’t have to hide it right? I don’t care if you cry or whatever. Just don’t expect me to fucking join in a sob fest.”

“But 1m not cry1ng! R34lly, you th1nk 1m som3 blubb3r1ng wr1ggl3r who cr13s wh3n3v3r sh3s ups3t? H4, how long h4v3 you known m3?”

It’s true that she never seems to cry. Actually, you can’t remember the last time you’ve seen her cry. You don’t think you’ve ever seen Terezi Pyrope cry. Yet look at what’s happening right now. Well, there’s a first time for everything.

While you spaced out again, Terezi managed to move from a sitting position to lying on her side without you noticing. Her head is turned towards the computer sitting in your lap.

“You know wh4t, forg3t th1s conv3rs4t1on, 1m t4k1ng 4 n4p.”

“...you’re fucking scared to die, so you’re going to sleep. Yes that’s a wonderful thought process, let me just go unconscious so when he shows up I can’t defend myself, brilliant thinking Terezi!”

“Y3p. 1m 4 g3n1us. S33, now wh1l3 4ll of you 4r3 w1d3 4w4k3 4nd f33l 3v3ryth1ng, 1ll b3 sl33p1ng, 4nd wh3n h3 k1lls m3, 1 won’t f33l 1t!”

You really have no rebuttal for that one; you can’t argue against something you’re not sure isn’t actually true in the first place. Would they still be able to feel it if they were sleeping?

“So 3njoy wh4t3v3r t1me you h4v3 l3ft, 4nd 1ll s33 you 1n th3 4ft3rl1fe!”

“Wow so you’re just giving up like that? What the actual fuck?”

“1ll m33t my m4k3r 4ny w4y 1 w4nt, th4nk you, Mr. V4nt4s.”

“You won’t sleep.”

“H3ll 1 won’t!”

So she shut up and went to sleep. Or rather, it appeared she went to sleep. But you can tell she’s wide awake and simply faking it so you think she won the argument.

Fine. Let her pretend. You’ve got work to do.

Tick t0ck.

Tick t0ck.

The ticking has just become background noise now.

So you continue your chat with Egderp, and then move on to contact his sister to get more information. Once again contact Egderp to relay said information. This takes you quite a while, and when you finally close the chat window with him you look around and see everyone basically in the same state that you left them (although it appears that Sollux migrated over to Kanaya in the meanwhile). You glance down at your side at Terezi, who’s curled up in what the humans have described as “the fetal position” (you don’t know what a fetal is, but it sounds strange and you really couldn’t care less). You can’t tell if she’s sleeping or not.

That is, until you hear a small sound.

It’s quiet, and if she wasn’t right next to you, you probably wouldn’t have heard it. It almost sounds like a small wolfbeast whimpering that got hurt.

In fact, it does sound like she’s whimpering. You’re pretty sure of it. You’re also pretty sure she’s not sleeping.

You nudge her arm a bit and she doesn’t move. Yeah she’s awake. If she was sleeping, she’d swat at the offending contact.

“’Rezi?”

She doesn’t answer. The whimpering doesn’t stop.

“Hey ‘Rezi, you okay?”

Still no answer. Her face is getting teal again with tears.

“I know you’re not sleeping. Talk to me.”

It doesn’t look like she’s going to answer you. Instead, she moves her face closer to your leg, apparently in an attempt to hide it from you.

Nice try, Pyrope. But not good enough.

You bump her face back to where it was, but facing upwards more so you can get a better look at her. Her damn shades are in the way though.

You remove them, a little more forcefully than you intended. Her burned eyes are wide open and yes, that is most definitely teal tears that have welled up in her eyes and spilled over. And there’s something in the expression she’s wearing that makes it seem like time has frozen.

For a minute, you forget how crazy she is; how completely insane and creepy and manipulative she can be. All you see is a 6 sweep-old girl who’s scared to death and nothing but pain and sadness is on her face. And it hits you hard, right where your heart is supposed to be, though it’s so rare that you feel anything there that for a time you were convinced you didn’t have a heart.

But recent times hinted to you otherwise, and right now you’re positive you have one, because it hurts. It hurts like shit and you can’t help it. It’s Terezi. Other than you, she’s the only one who’s appeared to be the most in control, the one who wasn’t suffering all this time. You don’t even belong in that grouping because you’ve been unstable all along. She seemed so in control. Excluding her reaction when one of Dave’s other selves died, she hasn’t shown any negative emotion that would make you think she’s not getting along fine. And maybe that kept you going, that even while you mentally crumbled to pieces, at least she’s strong enough to carry on for the both of you.

But now as you sit here, seeing her in the state she’s in, so helpless and not in control, the pain wells up in your heart and the weight on your shoulders seems to have gained an extra 50 pounds.

The one you thought was the strongest never changed from what she always has been: the girl you’d never admit to having a flushcrush on.

You feel wetness running down your face; tears you know give away your mutant red blood.

You don’t give a fuck.

You pull her up into a sitting position, then slide her onto your lap, knocking Vriska’s computer onto the floor and possibly damaging the screen.

You don’t give a fuck.

You hold her tight against you. She buries her face into your shoulder, and you bury your own face into her hair. The others probably noticed this.

You don’t give a fuck.

You don’t give a fuck about anything right now. You’ll gladly waste away what little time you might have left just sitting here, hugging Terezi and crying your heart out, and not giving a fuck about anything else.

It’s a strange way to go, just clinging to another of your kind and crying yourself sick.

But you really, truly, do NOT give a fuck.

Tick t0ck.

Tick t0ck.

Tick t0ck.

You are no longer Karkat Vantas, Knight of Blood, but rather Aradia Megido, Maid of Time. In your absence, the surviving members of your species have faced many complications. The amount of blood splattered on all of them is proof enough.

Tick t0ck.

Tick t0ck.

How you’ve grown fond of that tick t0cking. The sound has followed you since you entered the Medium, as it does with all Heroes of Time. The human session’s Knight of Time has expressed his dislike of the constant noise, but you’re 0kay with it. You’re 0kay with a lot of things.

It’s occurred to you that others can hear your ticking as well. They often complain of what they believe is a clock following them, and you have to explain to them that it is you making the sound. Not on purpose of course, but you cannot stop it.

You watch from a distance in the void of space, and wonder if those on the roof can hear the ticking.

You see Gamzee, a comrade of yours; or, rather, the corpse of Gamzee. You wonder how he came to be a corpse and no longer a living troll. You could take a guess based on the purple all over the others. You could also go back in time and see for yourself. For the moment, you will do neither.

Far away from Gamzee are Sollux and Kanaya, huddled over who appears to be dead Vriska. Kanaya is taking great care in combing her hair and wiping the blood off her God Tier outfit. A shame that even in death, she has people under her thumb, right where she wants them.

Farther still are Karkat and Terezi. From this distance, you could not hear the conversation they were having; however you watched the events that unfolded regardless, and now see them embracing and obviously crying.

Tick t0ck.

Tick t0ck.

You pity them in the sense that the humans use the word. It hasn’t been easy on them, or anyone for that matter. It pains you to see your friends in pain. But now is not the time to ease their worries.

That time is later.

The time to act is now.

Tick t0ck.

Tick t0ck.

You have work to do.


End file.
